chicken burrito

this is a recipe that mgs and i tried using an nytimes chicken negimaki recipe featured in this article: for moister chicken, tuck the flavor inside

i adapted it for indoors using an oven and improvised the stuffing (you can use anything that you think might go well with chicken). i also added a little side tomato salad that compliments the dish pretty nicely. very summery, satisfying and healthy!

serves 2 / cooking time: 45 minutes

ingredients for the chicken
2 chicken breasts
5 bunches of spinach
4 diced cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons jalapeno chutney (my brand is sukhi’s gourment indian food from the farmer’s market)
honey, to coat
salt and fresh ground pepper, to season
toothpicks or cooking twine

ingredients for the salad
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 handfuls of mixed cherry tomatoes
10 pearl onions
1 teaspoon chopped basil
2 slices of mozzarella cheese
salt and fresh ground pepper, to season

to cook the chicken:
1. preheat the oven to 400F.

2. blot the chicken breast dry and wrap loosely in saran wrap. using a kitchen hammer or a heavy pan, beat the chicken breast until it’s flat. salt and pepper the chicken on both sides. spread the chutney on one side of the chicken like you would tomato sauce on a pizza, leaving the edges clear of sauce.

2. heat the olive oil in a skillet and toss in all the garlic when hot. saute the spinach until slightly wilted and then pour in the mirin and soy sauce. add a dash of salt and pepper. remove from heat when you think the spinach is cooked.

3. spread the cooked spinach in the center of each flattened breast. then, carefully roll the chicken up like a cigar. use string or toothpicks to hold the chicken in a roll.

4. place in oven for 40 minutes or until cooked. make sure to baste after 20 minutes using the leftover sauce from sauteing the spinach. when it’s 5 minutes until done, coat the top of the chicken with honey.

5. when finished, cut in half, plate, and serve warm.

to cook the salad:
1. heat the olive oil in a skillet and toss in the tomatoes and onions. turn to medium heat and saute until tomatoes are slightly charred and onion is slightly browned. salt and pepper to taste

2. plate tomatoes and onions. toss mozzarella and basil on top.

my suggestions: the next time i try the chicken, i would probably brown the outside a bit on the stove top in a pan first and then put it in the oven. i’d also add tomatoes and cheese in the center.